Boston College last week cemented Virginia's second straight season without a bowl berth. This week, Virginia will try to spoil a different team's season by knocking off division-leading Clemson.
The No. 18 Tigers (7-3, 5-2 ACC) hold a half game lead and tiebreaker over Boston College and can clinch the Atlantic Division with a win Saturday. With its own bowl hopes squelched, Virginia (3-7, 2-4 ACC) could complicate Clemson's path to a possible ACC title and BCS bowl game.
The Cavaliers, though, will approach the game like they would any other and are not thinking about being a 'spoiler,' Virginia coach Al Groh said.
"Pick out your target, block out all distractions and take dead aim," Groh said, explaining Virginia's mentality heading into the match against Clemson. "It takes everything a team and a player has got to get ready to compete successfully, much less think about those extraneous things."
It will undoubtedly take everything Virginia has to stop the multifaceted C.J. Spiller. The senior running back's versatility has made him a legitimate Heisman contender. Spiller has racked up 14 touchdowns this season on six rushes, four catches, four kick returns and even a passing touchdown.
Spiller is "unique in his overall skillset; he's clearly a dynamic, hard to get on the ground runner," Groh said. "His kick return record speaks for itself ... He is the true all-purpose threat, maybe as great as we've seen in this conference in a long time."
Even if the Cavaliers can contain Spiller, they still will face a formidable aerial threat in senior wide receiver Jacoby Ford. Clemson's offense, though in part led by Spiller, revolves around Ford, who leads the team with 548 receiving yards.
"Those two guys - they're very explosive guys," Virginia's senior cornerback Chris Cook said. "I think we're all lookin' forward to this challenge. I definitely know we're not panicking about it because we have a pretty good defense."
Virginia's overall defense ranks 45th in the country and its pass defense ranks 19th nationally.
"We're all gonna play as hard as we can to minimize the big plays that those guys have in the game," Cook said.
Big plays from big players have keyed Clemson's recent turnaround after sputtering out of the gates with a 2-3 record. The Tigers have battled back with a five-game winning streak. A sixth straight win would secure their first-ever ACC title game appearance.
During the streak, Clemson has torched opponents for an average of 42 points per game. Spiller has rushed for 95.2 yards per game and totaled eight touchdowns.
As Clemson has climbed the ACC standings, Virginia has moved in the opposite direction. The Cavaliers have lost four straight games and their reeling offense ranks 118th of 120 FBS teams.
To end the skid, Virginia must come out of Death Valley with a win. From a visiting team's perspective, the notoriously hostile environment is aptly named. The Tigers are 7-1 at home this season, thanks in part to their raucous 12th man.
"When you go down there, you know a couple of things - it's gonna be loud, and it's gonna be challenging and it's gonna be fun," Groh said. "It's a great atmosphere in which to play in. Their energy, it's right up there at the very top of the ACC sites that we go to. There's a real football fever - it's not just a Saturday afternoon activity."
Virginia hopes to catch football fever this Saturday. The Cavaliers may not have a bowl game looming, but the team's seniors have found enough motivation in defending their pride.
"These are the last two weeks that all of us are probably gonna be together on the same team, trying to achieve the same goals in life," Cook said. "We're just tryin' to do the same things - just go hard"
Read More
Payton Cormier breaks Division I goals record
By Michael Liebermann | 1 hours agoCormier has forever cemented his legacy as one of the greatest lacrosse players in NCAA history.
Cavaliers advance to NCAA Championship with second place finish at Baton Rouge Regional
By Stephen O'Dea | 3 hours agoVirginia will head to the National Championship in Carlsbad, Calif., with a chance to make history.
Thank you, Reece Beekman
By Ben Istvan | 22 hours agoBeekman will leave Charlottesville as the program's all-time leader in steals.
